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Oldsmobile AleroYears to avoid, problems & recalls

Based on 1,955 NHTSA owner complaints across 6 model years, no Oldsmobile Alero year stands out as one to avoid, and the strongest years are 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004. The Alero has 7 safety recalls on record.

Oldsmobile Alero
Years to avoidNoneUse caution: 2000Best years'01 '02 '03 '04Fewest complaints for their ageOwner complaints1,955Top: Electrical systemSafety recalls71999–2004 model years

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports. Updated daily. How we score years. Photo: Cutlass, CC0.

Best & worst years

Oldsmobile Alero years to avoid

Complaints by model year, colored by the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Alero median. Tap a year for its full report.

'99'00'01'02'03'04
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
2004Best73/100109 complaints · 1 recall2003Solid62/100184 complaints · 2 recalls2002Solid54/100279 complaints · 1 recall2001Solid47/100364 complaints · 4 recalls2000Caution37/100557 complaints · 4 recalls1999Solid42/100462 complaints · 3 recalls
Complaints by system

Most common Oldsmobile Alero problems

All model years combined: 1,955 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Electrical system60138
Exterior lighting3561
Service brakes, hydraulic31514
Engine and engine cooling2575
Visibility1705
Suspension1072
Air bags10158
Steering9812
Fuel system, gasoline971
21 other systems58642
7 recalls

Oldsmobile Alero recalls

Newest first. The ring shows the share of affected vehicles repaired, from the manufacturer's latest report to NHTSA.

22%Electrical system: ignition14V-400 · 1999–2004 · Jul 3, 2014 · 5,877,718 vehicles–Vehicle speed control: accelerator pedal04V-528 · 2003 · Nov 1, 2004 · 92,863 vehicles–Hazard flashing warning lights: switch03V-327 · 2000–2001 · Aug 28, 2003 · 670,740 vehicles–Other: owners/service/other manual03V-250 · 2001 · Jul 15, 2003 · 1,707,825 vehicles–Power train: manual transmission00V-372 · 2000–2001 · Nov 13, 2000 · 216 vehicles–Structure: body00V-140 · 1999–2000 · May 18, 2000 · 487,400 vehicles–Steering: steering wheel/handle bar98V-320 · 1999 · Dec 15, 1998 · 217 vehicles
6 investigations

NHTSA investigations of the Alero

  1. TURN SIGNAL FAILURESPE05055 · 2002 · closed Jan 13, 2006
    No recall
  2. TURN SIGNAL FAILURESRQ04005 · 1999–2000 · closed Nov 30, 2004
    No recall
  3. TURN SIGNAL FAILURESEA02037 · 2000–2001 · closed Sep 5, 2003
    Led to recall 03V-327
  4. ERRATIC FUEL GAUGEEA02028 · 2000–2001 · closed Dec 30, 2003
    No recall
  5. ENGINE STALL DUE TO FUEL STARVATIONPE02066 · 2000 · closed Nov 3, 2003
    No recall
  6. ERRATIC FUEL GAUGESQ01002 · 2000–2001 · closed Sep 30, 2002
    No recall